Figure wheeled toy



Dec. 18, 1928.

F. E. VAUTRIN FIGURE WHEELED' To! Filed Oct. 1, 1927' Patented Dec. 18,1928. I

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, FERNAND VAUTRIN, ononnvnnAivn'onio."

FIGURE WHEELEDTOY. c x

Application filed October 1,1927; Serial No. 223,43

This inventionrelates to animproved toy. Theobject of this invention is to provide a bird form of toy: whichmay be automati 'cally propelled forwardly and which is also provided with flapping .wings to be operated simultaneously the forward movement. A further object is "to provide means for steering the toy, the steering means being operatively? connected with the other mechanisin so thattliedirect-ionof advance movement may be automatically and repeatedly changed so as to increase the amusement;

ing description'and claims whenconsidered together w th the accompanying drawing.

Fig.1 is aside view; 2 is a viewtaken' on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a View taken on line 3+3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4- 4: of Fig.1.

The main body 1 of the toy is given the form of a bird or a fowl andis supported upon the front wheels 2 which are mounted upon the axle 3 for driving operation thereof.

A spring motor 4 is mounted within the-body of the bird and is adapted to drive the shaft 3 by means of themeshing' gears 5 and 6.

, The rear end of the bird is supported upon the wheel 7 the mounting 8 of which is swivellyconnected at the point 9. The mounting 8 is provided with the lever 10 which extends to one side and which is adapted for operation b means of the lever 11 pivotally connected tli ereto at the point 12. The forward end of the lever 11 is connected to the crank portion 3 of the shaft .3. With this arrangeinent, it will be seen that operation of the shaft 3'will not only cause turning of the wheels 2 but will also cause a movement of the mounting 8 about the point 9 so as to constantly change the position of the steering Wheel 7 and thereby vary the direction of forward movement of the bird. The connection at the point 12 may be made readily releasable for the purpose of omitting this automatic operationif sodesired. Without this automatic connection, the steering'wheel 7 may1 be set and maintained at any angle desire The wings 13 are hingedly mounted at 14.

upon the s oulder portions of the bird and the hinge members of the wings are provided with arms 15 which extend inwardly through openings 16 in the body of the bird. The

inner adjacent end portions of the arms 15 are received in suitable openings n upwardly extending crankmember 17 which in the present case is connected at its lower end to the crank portionof the" shaft 3 for operation thereby.- {The extreme upper end portion of the crank arm 17 extends through an openber' 17 and the hinge arms 15 extend and opcrate. in a plane at right angles to the axis Qftlie hinge connection ofthe wing si This I p v means thatthehiiiges extend at an angletothe I Otherobjects will appearffrom the followhorizontal, approximately at forty five degrees, according to the showing in the pres entdrawing. ,In this way, there is obtained the' most efficient operative. connection for theflapping of the wings, and at; the same time the particular angle of mounting of the wings,'as here shown, produces avery natural appearance. y V

Operation of the shaft 3 will therefore cause not only turning movement of the wheels 2 but also flapping movement of the wings 13 and automatic variation of the di rection of advance movement, of the bird, as-

the point 12.

i The motor 4 may be a spring motor which Y is adapted to be wound by means of a key which can be inserted through the hole 19 in the wheel or between the spokes of the wheel, according to the particular form of wheel employed. During the winding of the motor, the'wings 13'may be maintained in raised position.

From the above, it will be seen that I have devised a'form of toy which is not only calculatedto afford a high degree of amusement but in which also practically all of the operating mechanism is mounted within the body of thebird and is thereby protected against injury which it might otherwise suffer'at the hands of the user.

The particular form of toy here disclosed i I is of comparatively simple construction and can be manufactured and sold at a comparabird body,

tively' low cost. Furthermore, it is highly 80 suming that the lever arm 11 is connected at operating connections with said crank and hinge members, said operating connections including a single connecting rod extending inside of said bird body directly from the crank on the axle of said wheels to and having pivotal lever connection with the inner ends of said hinge members for converting rotary motion of the motor into straight line movement for operation of the wings upon their hinges so as to produce a flapping movement thereof.

2. A bird toy comprising a bird body an axle and wheels upon which the body is mounted, a crank on the axle of said wheels, wings hingedly mounted on the bird body and adapted for flapping movement, said hinge connections hem in advance of the axis of said wheels and being inclined, a motor having operating connections with said crank and wings, said operating connections including a pair of levers extendin from the win s to the inside of the bird body and towar dseach other, and a sin le inclined connectin rod extending inside the bird body direct y from the crank on the axle of said wheels to and having pivot-a1 lever connection with the inner ends of said levers for converting rotary motion of the motor into rocking stantially within the bird body.

movement of said levers for flapping of the wings, said levers and connectingrod extending and operating in a plane at substantial right angles to the axis of the hinges of the wings. a

3. A bird toy comprising a bird body, a pair of wheels supporting the front part of the body wings liingedly mounted on.the bird body and adapted for flapping movement, :1 swivelly mounted single wheel upon which therear part of the body is mounted,

nected to the swivel mountin "of said steering wheel so as to automatically vary the direction of movement of the bird during operation of the same, said connections to the wings and eering wheel being enclosed sub- In testimony whereof, I hereby afiix my signature.

FERNAND E. VAUTRIN. V 

